1. Why is there so much anger and violence in the novel? By Thomas and Estelle

2. Curley Curley is known with a reputation of being a prize fighter and is always finding an opportunity to start a fight ‘His arms gradually bent at the elbows and his hands closed into fists’. This shows that Curley does not hold back, not afraid to stand up for himself. He has a masculine image and assertive. He’s protective of his wife because he thinks of her as a possession. The fact that she is known as ‘Curley’s wife’ shows that she belongs to him. Curley is angry for the main reason of that he’s small and despises people taller than him ‘Curley’s like a lot of little guys, He hates bug guys’. In contrast to his attitude, Curley generally doesn’t have to worry about the time of The Great Depression because he will take over the ranch when his dad (Boss) dies. This is a reason why Curley should not be angry, as he will live the American dream.

3. George George is angry for the main reason that he has dreams of having a good job and a family and Lennie is holding him back. ‘I could live so easy. I could go get a job an’ work, an’ no trouble’. This shows that all he wants is this, he emphasises this point a lot. He also gets angry at Lennie as he is always getting into trouble. ‘You crazy son-of-a-bitch’. This shows that he keeps getting annoyed with the constant behaviour Lennie causes. George gets angry how he has to keep getting Lennie out of trouble ‘Oh! I ain’t saying he’s bright. He ain’t. But I say he’s a God damn good worker’. This shows George trying to get Lennie out of trouble, trying to make Lennie look more than he may look.

4. Lennie gets frustrated by when they start to settle in a new place Lennie just causes trouble for them and they have to run away and try and start again. George is constantly on edge as he has the worry of making sure he has a stable job because of the effect of The Great Depression. Although in comparison to Curley, he doesn’t have to worry and this is why he is able to do what he wants and get into fights with whoever.

5. Lennie The main reason Lennie is angry is that he keeps making foolish mistakes such as killing a mouse. Then gets more annoyed when he kills the pup and then breaks Curley’s Wife neck. ‘God damn you, Why do you got to get killed?’. However he didn’t mean to kill the mouse, the pup or Curley’s wife. Lennie doesn’t know right from wrong. Lennie is not affected by the great depression. Although he causes quite a lot of stress for George. Lennie is always getting them sacked, which annoys George. Lennie doesn’t understand about what is going on in the world such as the great depression and the American dream.

6. Crooks Crooks is angry because he’s constantly down rated because of his colour ‘What you doing in Crooks’ room You hadn’t ought to be in here’. This shows that people do not go into a blacks man room because they’re not inclined to. However, Crooks doesn’t like it when people go into his room as its his territory his own personal space ‘You got no rights comin’ into a black man’s room’. This gets him angry and frustrated and he starts to stand up for himself only to realise afterwards where is place is. In 1937 when ‘Of Mice and Men’ was written, Black people were treated with no respect. This is why John Steinbeck has portrayed Crooks in this way.

7. Curley’s Wife The main reason Curley’s wife is angry is because she had her dreams crushed by her mum as a teenager. ‘I never got that letter, I always thought my ol’ lady stole it. Well, I wasn’t gonna stay no place where I couldn’t get nowhere or make something of myself.’ This shows that she had aspirations for herself which she couldn’t accomplish. Curley’s wife also gets frustrated because she doesn’t get any affection from Curley. She is stuck at the ranch all day, and Curley is at work. ‘I never get to talk to nobody. I get awful lonely’. This is why she dresses the way she does, it makes her feel good about herself. Curley’s wife is affected by the Great depression as the men will keep moving around following the work. This means she will never have the female contact she wants as the men don’t have time to form relationships.

8. Candy Candy is disappointed because of the way his life turned out. ‘Out of the sleeve came a round stick-like wrist, but no hand’. This frustrates him as he can’t do anything but sweep. He is also angry at himself for not shooting his dog. ‘ I ought to of shot my dog myself’. This shows regret as his dog was his only friend. Candy is scared that when he gets old and useless, he will get killed like his dog. ‘They’ll can me purty soon. Jus’ as soon as I can’t swamp out no bunk houses they’ll put me on the county’. This shows worry as for his whole life he was useless and didn’t get to reach the goals he wanted. Candy is affected by the time, as he is old and usless he can’t get the work that other men are trying to get. As he looks back on his life he feels he was very useless.

9. Slim Slim is the only man on the ranch who isn’t angry. He has no reason to be angry as he is known as ‘royalty’ on the ranch. ‘the prince of the ranch’. He is also seen higher up than Curley, ‘his authority was so great that his word was taken on any subject’. This shows he is secure in his work and himself. When Curley accuses him of having an affair with his wife, it doesn’t make him angry. This shows he is very laid back. The great depression has no affect on Slim as he is very secure with his job. He is good with animals and working, and no-one dares make a fight with him.